I consider Jim O'Rourke probably one of my favourite producers of the past two decades. All his work with Stereolab, Smog, Sonic Youth, U.S. Maple, and especially, Wilco, already puts him in a pretty special category for me, but his solo work has always had enough strength to gain respect in it's own right. If you've heard any of his solo stuff (and I'm mostly referring to the past 10 to 15 years, not his drone recordings) then you'll already know Jim's albums always come with a heavy sense of humour. In 'Halfway To A Threeway' Jim sings about forcing a wheelchair stricken woman into a threesome with him and another paralyzed woman, while playing acoustic guitar and sounding completely sincere. It's funny, but in a way fucked up kind of way.
I dont know why 'Bad Timing' is my favourite album of his then, it being entirely instrumental, with mostly acoustic guitar fingerpicking in the style of John Fahey. I suppose it represents Jim O'Rourke's sound better than his other recordings, and production work at that too: subtle and catchy to the point of almost being considered pop, but always working in textures and sounds that are completely unorthodox.
Honestly though, how can you go past an album that opens with a song titled "There's Hell in Hello But More in Goodbye"?
http://rapidshare.com/files/175289587/Jim_O_rourke_-_Bad_timing-1997.ofn.rar
